Palawan

I WASN’T HERE WHEN Kuya J opened its 100th store at the SM City Puerto Princesa on October 7, and that’s truly sad because I was one of those really looking ahead to being there.

Ang mas nakaka-sad pa, I just placed myself today on a strict Herbalife diet so, that means no spending money freely on best-loved restos and cafes… on Kuya J, hahaha… even if its Crispy Pata’s soooooo lovely and sexy like that in the photo below.

Kuya J’s sexy Crispy Pata boasts of crispy pork skin with tender juicy pata meat. Regular order costs Php509.00 while an order for the whole fambam is Php695.00

Actor Jericho Rosales, endorse or Kuya J, sings to the crowd during the opening on October 7 at SM City Puerto Princesa.

Thank you, SM Shopping Center Management Corporation for the invitation. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend that day as I needed to be in Tagaytay for a convention with the Junior Chamber International.

Wait a minute, do you have a store in Tagaytay?

Chorizo Dinamitas, yay! For this goodness, you only need to shell out Php170.00

What’s in the Menu?

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I am not sure if the prices in the menu slide remain the same. It was borrowed by this blog from www.zomato.com To make sure, visit the store and order 🙂

Kuya J Restaurant

Kuya J used to be a modest and an inconspicuous restaurant in Cebu called “Ang Kan-anan ni Kuya J” before it got to be one of the fastest growing casual dining places in the Philippines. In fact, no restaurant that originated as a hole-in-the-wall has achieved the feat of opening 100 stores in just two years.

The restaurant celebrated its huge milestone #CheersTo100 at the Event Center of SM City Puerto Princesa with none other than its blockbuster bida, Jericho Rosales.

Some of my media colleagues were there to welcome him, and one of the food that they’re raving about is the Chorizo Dinamitas, which is deep fried pastry-wrapped jalapeños with Cebu’s famed chorizo and cheddar cheese.

“We wanted the 100th store to be significant. We chose Puerto Princesa City to house our 100th store because it plays a vital role in tourism and community development,” said Winglip Chang, president and chief executive officer of iKitchen, said in a statement that was sent to this blog.

“Our 100th store is not only a result of the hardwork and passion of the entire Kuya J family. It’s actually more of the overwhelming love and support of Filipino families all over the country,” shared Danny Pumarega, chief operating officer of Kuya J.

Is Kuya J the Blockbuster Bida Jericho Rosales?

I had asked myself this over and over when I started seeing its commercials on television because, hey, Jericho Rosales equals Kuya J, why not? But Kuya J isn’t him and him in a way.

Chang said “the name refers to no particular person.” It’s a brand that symbolizes the Filipino family, where there are a lot of names starting with the letter “J” like Jose, John, Joseph, and Jericho.

The award-winning drama actor, who was asked if he owns it, said “in a way, yes.” This is because he is proud that the brand Kuya J “truly embodies the Filipino culture that is family-oriented.”

“Echo is actually the perfect endorser for Kuya J. He is one of the award-winning drama actors in the country and the best Kuya to his family. Kuya J finds him very inspiring with his trait of always putting his heart into everything that he does, especially when touching people’s lives,” said the statement.

Kuya J Favorites

After trying the food at Kuya J Restaurant, one could not be surprised how much people love their interpretations of Filipino favorites, which are very reasonably priced. Some of the local favorites so far are the following:

Grilled Scallops Php230.00 — a fresh reminder of Cebu because every restaurant there has some version of this dish. Each scallop shell is covered in a generous amount of cheese and garlic that enhances the umami flavor of the seafood.

Chorizo Dinamitas (P170) might be thought to be super spicy, but an initial bite could lead anyone to eating more. Chopped Cebu chorizo and cheddar cheese make it a salty-sweet appetizer with a nice crunch and mild spiciness.

My Favorites

If you decide to visit Kuya J at the SM City here, don’t disregard the appetizers in the menu because some of them are perfect ulam too, like the Sinuglaw, Lumpia Frito, and the Calamari with garlic mayo dip.

When it comes to dining, I am one of those who has a favorite dish everywhere and orders the same thing every time. Same Thai Chicken, or Roasted Chicken at Neva’s Place and Dang Maria’s, same Sisig at Kinabuch, same Chicken in a Basket at McCoys… I always go for the same kind and I don’t know why’s that, but… it’s all good!

My favorites there are Lumpia Presko for the sauteed crab meat and bamboo shoots with sweet garlic sauce; slow-cooked Bulalo; the Stuffed Grilled Squid with BBQ sauce; and the Bicol Express which is really good with rice.

BTW, all photos in this blog post are not mine. Thank you, SM Shopping Center Management Corporation, for allowing me their use.

TWO UPSCALE DIRECTOR’S CLUB exclusive screening theaters were opened recently by the SM Cinema at SM City Puerto Princesa, and luckily, I was one of those handed the chance to watch the biographical comedy crime film American Made in one on September 14.

All thanks to mall PR man Russell Fernandez, who’s a very kind host that day; and pretty Steph dela Peña of SM Cinema.

Hans Sy (3rd from left) of SM Prime led the soft opening on September 14 of the SM Cinema with Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron (4th from left), Palawan Vice Governor Dennis Sorcrates (5th from left), City Tourism Officer Aileen Cynthia Amurao, and other officials. The SM Cinema here is the 60th branch nationwide.

Comfortable couch sets are safe spaces that you’ll find upon entrance to the Director’s Club. They’re where you can wait until the first batch finishes, and your turn comes next.

SM Cinema also opened three digital cinemas (check photos below) for the general public. Each can house up to 165 viewers at a time, creating an undisturbed and relaxed space for movie adventures with friends, relatives, and family.

Can you count the chairs?

The Director’s Club cinema experience is not like the average you get when you watch in some big-box theaters, where the floors feel viscid and gluey under your shoes because someone sloshed soda (or smoothie), or where the individual sitting next to you is giving that popcorn the best shot by chowing down hard like it’s chicharon.

No, these upmarket cinemas are offering movie enthusiasts (even those who aren’t) that kind of experience that’s beyond that and people stepping on your toes or foot just to get to their seats.

SM Cinema’s Director’s Club recommends a movie date like no other in a setting that will give you the feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation you deserve. I mean, seriously, this kind of high-end cinema gives you the personal space you need in watching your favorite film genre.

Each screening theater is well-spaced (with wide aisles) and boasts superior recliner chairs (like La-Z-boys) to add style and ease, agreeable screen size, top-notch sound system, and meals served to you at the push of a button by your own personal butler.

Ticket prize, I think, is about Php400.00 for unlimited popcorn (cheese-flavored) and drinks (supposedly). We were given Minute Maid when we watched; I’m not sure if it’s going to be the same offer when you watch.

In the two Director’s Club where I sometimes watch in Manila, if you order extra cola or drink, hindi na kasama sa unlimited offer. You have to pay differently.

It was so comfy, I almost slept in the middle of watching American Made. Mabuti na lang, Tom Cruise remains a serious movie actor for me to watch, and his latest film’s funny. Otherwise, that restful feeling… eh, nakatulog na sana ako.

So, if you don’t want to fight in line like I do, sometimes, to see a movie, or if you don’t want to spend money on online services that deliver access to movies the minute they’re publicly made available, then this high-end trend of a cinema is truly for you to give you that INTO THE MOVIEVERSE experience.

It’s also happy to note that a new generation theater like this has popped up in Palawan to completely recoup the cinematic experience we’ve lost since Melba, Republic, Maresca, Cove, and Star Vision cinemas closed operations years ago, di ba?

I said “completely” because, let’s admit it, naibalik naman when Robinsons Palawan opened with its own chain theater ahead of SM City Puerto Princesa. Kinumpleto lang by the swanky Director’s Club movie theaters.

SOME OF THE BEST AND TASTY paella variants I’ve ever tried were at Las Paellas Cafe at the Festival Mall in Alabang, Casa Armas Tapas Bar Y Restaurante in Malate, Barcino in the The Fort, and here in Puerto Princesa, at Tom Tom’s Club along Manalo Street.

Even to this day, I can’t forget the subtle flavor and aroma of the cafe’s Paella Marinera, and the gastronomically bewitching Paella Negra, a scene-stealer and high drama rice dish that is dyed black with squid ink, and mottled with calamari, a rich blob of garlic aoili mayonnaise, red bell pepper strips, and some other toppings.

“Matiz Paella” by Matiz Restaurant & Tapaz Bar at Hue Hotel.

Any chef who can rustle up a good paella will say right away that this famous Spanish dish is really “all about the rice” and the socarrat, without abandoning the adequate quantity (and quality) of other ingredients that needs to be there over the base.

Socarrat is the rice that gets pleasantly crisp and forms a tough outer part at the base of the paellera, a special skillet from which the paella is cooked. It is to the dish what the smoke ring is to a brisket.

In Filipino, it is “tutong,” or the burnt rice that we find at the bottom of our pot when we don’t pay enough attention and cooks it for too long. The difference is that we shed out the burnt rice, whereas the Spaniards and paella lovers save the socarrat (sometimes for last) as it is essential to the total goodness of the paella.

Tom Tom’s Club is the only dining place I know here that serves really good paella. So, when I learned that Matiz Restaurant & Tapas Bar at Hue Hotel is offering Spanish-inspired cuisines, I really campaigned to have our regular Women of Wednesday (WOW) there to try the dish.

WOW is a group of lady past presidents of the JCI Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc., and Wednesday is usually the day in the week when we all meet to just let our hair loose — allow ourselves to behave much more freely from our daily routines and just laugh at everything and enjoy.

On September 13, all 11 of us were at this restaurante to finally try some of cuisines it’s offering. The specialty of the house the waitress offered was Matiz Paella, which I ordered for four since those who arrived ahead of me had already ordered.

Paella always gets me excited because it is a Spanish food that’s easy to love, easy to adore. Anything that’s easy to love and adore keeps you calm, right?

After waiting for nearly half an hour, the so-called Matiz Paella that got to our table (with a portable stove) was nothing short of regret.

Sorry about that.

Flavors certainly did not blend and burst together, the rice mixture was (sadly) soaked through, and toppings to add to the distinctive taste were measly — it’s head-shaking.

I agree, the chef should not overwhelm the rice with toppings as it will affect the whole taste of the paella, but really that meager? Four pieces of boiled quail eggs (I get it, because I ordered for four), seven pieces of sliced squid rings, two pieces of shrimps, and four slices of chorizo that were charred and tasted bitter, and green peas.

There was really nothing else for me to be excited about in the dish that was regarded as the specialty of the house. Where’s the sudden rush of beautiful flavors in every spoonful and layer of toppings spread over the base? What happened to the socarrat?

The price of Php995 for four for the paella that to me, failed to happen, was really sore to pay though we all split the tab at Php500 for everything we ate. Di naman sa… pero, why pay good money for something that’s not belly satisfying?

Bagnet, crunchy and truly good!

Though disappointed with its paella, I’m not saying you don’t go and try the Spanish-themed restaurante because your fondness might be different from mine. Unless the chef improves the paella, I honestly think it’s safe to go for the Sinugba and the Bagnet on its menu list.

These two Pinoy dishes are really good at Matiz Restaurant and Tapas Bar. They might be a little pricey where your dining-out-to-treat-yourself fund is concerned, but, hey… no regrets if the food is good.

Sinugba, which employs two methods of cooking — grilling pork belly and soaking fish in lime juice or coconut vinegar to become ceviche — needs really little introduction to Filipinos as it is a beloved dish, especially in the Visayas.

Many Sinugba lovers just salt the pork belly and grill it. The others choose to do it with their own created barbecue sauces, and after grilling, mix it with the fish ceviche.

At Matiz Restaurant & Tapaz Bar, the Sinugba, thankfully, didn’t taste sea-level salinity (over-salted food isn’t good for the kidney). It was light and bright, used the freshest fish possible, and wasn’t overly marinated.

The deep-fried pork belly Bagnet that originated in Ilocos was everyone’s rave in the restaurant that night. There was no bagoong monamon (fermented anchovies) that was served with it, but the chef’s success in making it crispy on the outside and tender and savory on the inside got me.

I would certainly go back for the Bagnet because the resto got it right, and it brings me back sweet memories of my father. If he’s alive today, he’d surely be happy to be taken there for a special dinner of the Ilocano favorite simple recipe… with, of course, bagoong monamon.

I just know he would look for that; not the vinegar as dipping sauce.

Nice Ambiance

The inside of the restaurant used wooden wine rack modules clawed on the wall on one side for efficient and elegant bottle storage that are typical to tapas bars. Individual plank tables hang on the ceiling on another side to complete its stylish whole tapas bar look.

Imagine having your tapas on swing tables. The playful design makes dining fun and interesting. I’m actually imagining what if it has hanging chairs to sway me too.

Its interior design concept is nothing I’ve ever seen in this city. It has high upper interior surface that adds space, and speaks relaxation and comfort to people who shun having their meals in a place that retards them from trouble-free gestures and physical movement.

Sometimes, when we go to restaurants, it is more than just the food. The ambiance and the all-embracing experience can often mean a lot more. This is the reason why many really take time and effort to create and develop their own themes, or assimilate elements of a culture — all with the objective of entertaining your senses, not just your taste buds.

The Staff

Except for one waiter who doesn’t know how to describe to us the food we wanted to have, I was glad everyone was attentive enough to check what else we needed that night. The waitress who served our food was always smiling, and checking on us.

Poor customer service can cause restaurant businesses to die. In fact, I think it is one of the chief reasons why many lose the interest to become returning customers. Attentive waiters/waitresses is part of the whole deal of superlative customer service.

I’m not the only one who’s going to say this: If a restaurant is able to deliver remarkable atmosphere, delicious food, reasonable prices, ample serving, and quality customer service, then there’s no reason why I would not return.

A MANILA-BASED social entrepreneur is seeking financial backing to bring the indigenous handicrafts of the Batak tribe to the international market through the “Project Bamboo Crowdfunding Campaign” to help it survive and thrive in the modern economy.

Lara Frayre

Lara Frayre, a multi-disciplinary designer focused on helping change-makers deliver large impacts in the global scene through unique homegrown designs, is the founder of the Batak Craft that hopes to address the poverty problem of the vanishing indigenous peoples of Sitio Mangapin, Barangay Langogan by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities out of their artistry.

“We are a community-led organization called the Batak Craft, and we are essentially helping the Batak tribe make a sustainable livelihood out of the bamboo products they produce. Our primary products are baskets and mats, and we help them bring their wares to the international market,” she told me.

The BA Industrial Design graduate of the College of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, alleged being hunters and gatherers of non-forest timber products, the Batak people are “ill-equipped to work in today’s market economy.”

With limited access to education, they face the challenge of not being able to work suitably with lowlanders and searching for appropriate employment opportunities. Steady income in this situation does not add up, Lara averred.

“For now, baskets and mats are the only products available. Hopefully, we can bring other products like furniture, accessories. Right now we’ve continued our crowdfunding campaign to help us continue working with them,” Lara said with high hopes that she’d be able to help them.

The Batak women of Mangapin, Langogan, who performed and entertained us with their traditional songs and dances.

This interview with Lara was done on August 23, a week (or so) after she and her friend, Renato Estepa Jr., went to the Mangapin community for the nth time to introduce and train eight Batak mothers on accessories-making that might stream in new income for their households.

I had been to this Batak community with my JCI friends in 2015, and the trek there wasn’t easy considering the multiple river crossings we made out. Lieutenant Christopher Maguinsay of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-4, who accompanied us, was certainly joking when he leveled his finger to a mountainous area in the said baragay and uttered, “Doon lang.”

“Doon Lang,” to me, implies a distance that is just close by. In the case of Mangapin, I stopped imagining how short the distance we needed to walk the moment my tired feet crossed the second river bend, then the third, then the fourth, and so on.

The only two honest things about the trek was the verdant scenery along the way and the nice people we were with because we didn’t have to carry the heavy boxes that contain school bags and supplies for our target beneficiaries.

“We just went to Mangapin and trained them how to make accessories that might be a good source of additional income because they are fast to learn,” Lara added.

I liked looking at Lara’ expression while she was telling me about what her long-term goals are for the Batak settlers of Langogan, whom I also hold dear as they’re gracious, gentle, and always smiling people. She must have caught the bug of kindness from the Batak that infected me as well.

Lara narrated that those she trained actually just visited one household in the village where they frequently stay.

“Eventually, we hope to provide the training to a big group of Batak women,” she said.

The solution is to continuously work within the Batak tribe’s cultural foundation by developing their skills and process efficiency in traditional basket-weaving, document the tribe and its culture alongside, and sell their products to the international market.

On her website, Lara wishes to achieve four goals for her Batak friends in Mangapin: “to earn a sustainable living, document their cultural practices before they vanish; disseminate the information to a global audience, and inspire them to nourish their culture.”

The Batak mothers she had initially trained are fast learners. In a span of two days, they have already completed accessories made out of beads that she brought them.

“What training they need right now is color combination, more on aesthetics, but they have managed to make beautiful ones despite that,” she explained.

Lara and Renato believe it is also important to bring to the public’s awareness the Bataks of Palawan as they are often asked what they are or who they are.

“We’ve been asked a lot of times what the Batak is, or who they are, because people do not know them compared to the Tbolis of South Cotaboto. This is why the Batak Craft wants to bring them also to the consciousness of the Filipino people and the world,” she said.

There are over 30 families currently living in the hinterlands of Mangapin, and Lara noted they do not only help them make income but also empowers them to continue protecting the Philippines “LAST ECOLOGICAL FRONTIER.”

Her love affair with the Batak dwellers started when a couple of years ago, she and her friends set out to establish a yoga center in the municipality of Roxas.

“Back then, we had workers who, I noticed, were so hard-working in what they were doing for us. I didn’t know they were Batak villagers until they told us. After a while, when I got to know them, I made a research about them and that’s when I discovered that they’re actually now a vanishing tribe,” Frayre said.

With just a motorcycle, their bags and food supplies, her team sought out the six most populated Batak settlements on a three-week adventure, which included trekking for hours across multiple river bends, going to and from each community in Puerto Princesa and nearby Roxas town.

“We chose to focus on the Batak village in Langogan because aside from being most accessible, their community remains purely Bataks,” she explained.

Once a year, she returns to the community once or twice to help them in basket-weaving and accessories-making.

Lara added they also target to provide “a product refinement training programme for the tribe, so that they can eventually take ownership of every aspect of the product to the market value chain.

The Batak (Mountain People)

The Batak indigenous peoples are commonly found in the northeastern portions of Palawan, and there are only about 450 remaining, claimed a 1990 census.

I’m not sure if that number is still true today because according to Survival International, their number has dwindled from 1,900 to just around 300 now.

There are now fewer than 300 Batak, down from about 700 in 1900. Land seizure, logging and exposure to disease are great dangers.

Severe undernourishment has made them more vulnerable to diseases such as malaria, measles and tuberculosis.

They also suffer from high infant mortality and low birth rates. The small Batak population means young people often have to marry outside the tribe.

The Bataks are small in height, that’s why anthropologists think they are closely related to the Aetas of Central Luzon. They are also dark-skinned and have kinky hairs, which are traits common to the Negritos.

Noel Jagmis, in an article for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), wrote that among the interesting traditional rituals are lambay and sagkat.

Lambay is a honey festival marking the season when the Bataks can gather the non-timber forest product again and to call for rain, while sagkat is a ritual conducted prior to clearing lands for the practice of kaingin or slash-and-burn farming.

Their social laws include alyog, where a Batak man undergoes the process of asking if his parents agree to his marriage to a chosen girl; and liwag, the tradition of imposing a fine to a disobeying son-in-law.

Anyone who wishes to help may go to visit their website at www.batakcraft.org, where the products made by the Batak villagers are on display.

NOTE: Many photos that appear in this blog are owned by Lara Frayre and her website.

A LOT OF EXCITING things are taking place in Puerto Princesa City, and my only worry right now is the traffic. It’s a battlefield (bigat ‘no?) out there everyday, and all street corners midriff of the town seem to be spots of congestion.

I understand that traffic congestion is an unavoidable problem in developing cities, and the integral result of the way modern societies operate. However, just because I understand does not mean I am not upset.

Like many, I am frustrated by our local policymakers’ inability to come up with a possible immediate solution to the problem, which, by the way, presents a grave public policy challenge.

I can think of one, and that is removing tricycles in national and principal roads. Apologies to neighbors, relatives, and friends who operate tricycles to convey passengers, but right now, that’s the most immediate there is to accomplish.

Otherwise, nobody certainly wants to be caught in the nub of a larger traffic problem, which I can see happening the moment the SM City Puerto Princesa opens on September 15.

Just my two cents.

Aerial view of the new SM City Puerto Princesa.

Discovering Palawan, Discovering SM City Puerto Princesa

SM Supermalls, which is owned by SM Prime Holdings (SMPH), is ready to open its 64th mall in Puerto Princesa this week.

Russell Fernandez, the SM City Puerto Princesa’s public relations officer, was kind enough to grant an interview with me a couple of days ago at Itoy’s Coffee Haus to let me know how it’s going to be different from the other malls that SM Prime Holdings owns.

Some major parts of the interview I will hold in reserve for my news story that will be submitted to the Philippine News Agency. The rest, will be part of this blog.

The three-level, 54,000 square meter resort-style complex mall is located on a 47,000-square meter site along Malvar corner Lacao streets that used to be a squatter settlement and a location where indigenous materials were traded.

And SM is short for “Shoemart,” run by the retail giant SM Group of Companies, where SMPH belongs. Its owner is Chinese-Filipino Henry Sy Sr., known in the Philippines as the “Retail King.”

As a premier mall, Russell said SM City Puerto Princesa envisions to reflect Palawan’s tropical feel while assimilating SM’s innovative design approach. I thought this is true because among all SM City malls I had been to, this one’s got the feel and look of a modish seaside resort hotel from outside.

Did you notice that the entrances to the mall are painted in green? I’ve been asked that a bunch of times. Why not navy blue like what its branding is known for?

I forgot to ask Russell about this particular information, and I know I shouldn’t have. But my guess is that aside from the fact that SM is now innovating on the look of its future retail malls, the shade really symbolizes Palawan’s devotion to protecting its verdant surroundings.

The green color represents, too, love of life, of balance and harmony, of reincarnation, of peace and relaxation. And because it is these things, then I’d assume that SM City Puerto Princesa wants to be at least one of the refuges that you and I are looking for away from the stresses of life’s daily routine.

And lest you forget, green is also the color of money.

“It’s incomparable because it doesn’t look like just a block of commercial complex. At first glance, you will think it’s a resort hotel,” he said.

The mall’s interiors are distinctly crisp and modern with textures and relaxing colors that give one the sense of being on a tropical holiday. At each opening to the level above, walls clad in a unique plaster give a quality of continuous and soft waves.

The mall’s ceiling will display hundreds of delicate handcrafted wooden lanterns not only for ample natural lighting, but also to add to the Palawan feel.

Russell was excited to talk about SM City Puerto Princesa’s commitment to sustainability, telling me that it was projected to achieve a sustainable future.

“If you will notice, the design is with glass walls that speak of modern architecture, and doesn’t isolate us from the natural surroundings. It allows us to see outward, and it lets in sunlight to make a bright environment for shoppers,” he stressed.

It will have a sewage treatment plant (STP) to take care of restaurant and toilet wastes with a treated water recycling tank system for toilet flushing, plant irrigation, cleaning and maintenance, and other non-potable purposes that will help in the conservation of fresh water.

Great Shopping + Leisure + Entertainment

For great shopping, leisure, and entertainment, the SM City Puerto Princesa will have the following:

SM Store

SM Supermarket

SM Appliance Center

ACE Hardward

Watsons

Surplus Shop

Miniso

Sports Central

Miniso is “a Chinese-low cost retailer and variety store chain that specializes in household and consumer goods including cosmetics, stationery, toys, and kitchenware.” Its marketing strategy is the same as Muji, Daiso, and Uniqlo.

What I’m most excited about, on the other hand, is its three state-of-the-art cinemas and two Director’s Club theaters.

The Director’s Club theater can sit around 30-50 people for a luxe cinema experience. (Photo borrowed from SMCinema.com)

In Manila, when I want to watch a movie with extraordinary comfort (and when I have money to spare), I go to the Director’s Club at the SM Mall of Asia that has leather seats, butler service, and a menu that’s entirely for its clients.

First in Palawan Brands

Lifestyle in this bustling city will definitely get a boost with these first-in-Palawan-brands that are soon to open their doors in SM City Puerto Princesa to clients.

Mesa Restaurant – a dining place that is popular for combining the best of Filipino cuisines with healthy class and blend.

Kuya J– this restaurant has model/actor Jericho Rosales as its endorser. You have to try its Sinuglaw because I can attest to its goodness na best sa kanin even if its really appetizer; and also its grilled rack of ribs.

Cabalen(Eat All You Can, Eat All You Want!) – a favorite Pinoy restaurant not only for traditional dishes but also the exotic as well. They said dining here “makes you feel the authentic traditional home-cooked food the Kapampangan way that you have not experienced for a long time in a very reasonable priced buffet.”

Rib Shack – Yes, baby back ribs!

Turk’s Shawarma – this one I would surely love for shawarma is a favorite. It specializes in Turkish cuisines that are suitable to the taste of Pinoys.

Breadtalk– by the Breadtalk Group of Companies, a Singapore-based multinational food and beverage corporation that sells wonderful breads and pastries. If you’ve gone to Vivocity in Singapore, and has had your meal in Food Republic, well, they operate that.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf– I’m really this one than Starbucks 😉 because its blends are light and subtle. Not too sweet! I also heard Seattle’s Best is setting up a store in the premiere mall so, let’s see.

Powermac – if you’re one of Apple’s 588 million users, then you’ll love this store for your Apple devices.

Rulls Cellphone and Accessories – another popular cellphone accessory store.

Dermcare – the new luxury in wellness and beauty is going to be here in Puerto Princesa with a full store.

I just have to post my friend Siobe Yu’s invitation for me to see the opening of Ancient Dynasty Kitchen, which will soon serve traditional home-cooked Chinese dishes in an authentic Chinese family environment.

Who doesn’t love Chinese food?

Since Palawan is a tourist haven, Russell added that SM City Puerto Princesa made sure that there will be a traveler’s lounge available for foreign and domestic tourists, where they could rest, bathe, book flights, and seek assistance on other businesses.

Parking won’t be a problem as it has a two-level parking area that has 398 car slots. Thank goodness for this, because I always worry leaving my ride under the heat of the sun.

The parking areas are with block paving that can be later lifted up and replaced, and to allow rainwater penetration in the grounds to replenish underground water table. Kind of neat since the use of pavers do not leave lasting marks on the space where they are placed over.

Think how far this city has gone from the two department stores that I first knew: Triple O Mart along J. Rizal Avenue, just a stone’s throw away from the Immaculate Conception Parish; and that Indian-family owned store near the Puerto Princesa Pilot Elementary School — sobrang layo na.

Yesterday, a lot of us were just dreaming about having a SM City that’s got it all for us. Well guess what, now it’s a reality.

HERE’S A STORY I wrote for the Philippine News Agency (PNA) about Coron, a beautiful island municipality in northern Palawan. It’s about a planned undersea park being proposed by Coral World Park (CWP), which claims to be “the largest Marine Reserve and Coral Reef Conservation program in Asia. ”

Beautiful Kayangan Lake in Coron Island, Coron, northern Palawan.

This photo of the small inlet that leads to Kayangan Lake was taken from a promontory where I stood for a while to take in the charming view.

The reason why it’s controversial is in the story.

Tagbanua tribes in Coron spurn Nickolodeon undersea park

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, July 27 — The Tagbanua indigenous peoples (IP) community in Coron and nearby islands gave the thumbs down Thursday morning to the propositioned 400-hectare Nickolodeon undersea park due to fears of irreversible negative environmental and cultural impacts.

Amil Abella, representative of the Tagbanua Tribes of Coron Island Association (TTCIA), said in a Greenpeace Philippines-hosted press conference here that the project will only displace them from their ancestral domains, and will spoil their traditional fishing grounds.

“If there are investments that will build structures that will cause destruction to our ancestral domains, our agreement is we will not accept them,” Abella said, adding they live independently and are reliant on Calamianes’ beauty and blessings.

The Calamianes is an area in the northern part of Palawan that includes Busuanga, Coron, and Culion island towns, and the islands of Calauit, Malcapuya, Banana, Pass and Calumbuyan, and several minor islets.

“The legendary heroes of Coron will unite and defend the last ecological frontier of the country, where we live with freedom and abundance,” he added.

It’s really difficult to marry development with environment conservation, especially if it would have irreversible impacts on the lives of the indigenous peoples and their ancestral domains.

I am for development. The SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT kind. The one “that meets human development goals while at the same time sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society depend.”

DID YOU KNOW that in Vietnam, you can’t eat your food and then leave your chopsticks lying vertically over your bowl (or plate) of rice or noodles when you’re done?

Did you know, too, that doing the same in China would contract-in-displeasure the eyebrows of the residents as it is how they position their incense sticks whenever present in ceremonies honoring the dead, or burying them?

Or something like that. I’m not too sure.

A small bowl of PHO BO at Pho 88. It’s a Vietnamese rice noodle soup with fragrant herb leaves served separately with calamansi, and beef meat.

Did you know further that if you don’t want to get in trouble with any of your Vietnamese friends (perhaps I should try one day just to make sure), then you must call to mind not to tap your chopsticks on your bowl for it will bring misfortune, and it means you’re convoking the dead?

I HAVE TO GET ME ONE OF THESE. Tuong Ot Sriracha, or rooster sauce in Vietnam, actually originated from Thailand. It’s made of “chili, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar,potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite and xanthan gum.

It is really our own eating beliefs and traditions that matter. But of course, it wouldn’t hurt to observe and do as they do, right? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Vietnam, do as the Vietnamese people do.

The reason I had to remember what I learned about the eating culture of the people of Vietnam was because I was with some friends in this new restaurant called Pho 88 along J. Rizal Avenue the other day.

Sometimes I have that habit of tapping my chopsticks lightly on the bowl when I’m talking about something passionately. But not always.

Ha Chi Lhan, the pretty owner of Pho 88. The place does not seek attention where it is located so, one has to be really on the alert.

Pho 88 is Pho 88, according to owner Ha Chi Lhan, because 1988 was the year she started to work in a bank in the coastal city of Nha Trang in Khánh Hòa, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam.

It was her Filipino husband, who brought her to open Pho 88 after residing for a while in Silang, Cavite. The husband was not there to meet with us, but whoever he is, it’s good decision to bring Ha Chi Lhan to move to this city.

Another restaurant that serves real Vietnamese food is good news to me although in Puerto Princesa, there are about two I really love to visit once in a while. One is located in Barangay Sta. Lourdes, the other is in Barangay San Jose — quite far from where I live.

I wanted to order Pho Ga(Chicken Noodle Soup) since its photo on the resto’s simple menu looked steamy and pretty with the chicken meat all lined up on one side, herbs on top of them, and a slice of chili.

But it wasn’t available; the kitchen staff apparently forgot to buy chicken from the market that day.

I don’t know. Tsk!

An old Vietnamese friend, who came to Palawan a few years ago as one of the boat people, told me that you can gauge the goodness of a Pho by the intensity of the flavor that’s rustled up in the stock while maintaining its clarity.

I wanted to prove. Unfortunately…

BUN THIT NUONG

FACT: Bún thịt nướng is popular in all regions of Vietnam, except for in Hanoi, where a related dish bún chả is served.

This popular Vietnamese dish is not heavy in the belly so, go for it when you’re in Puerto Princesa.

Every time I go to a new Vietnamese place, I like comparing how each cook their Pho. This is the reason why I wanted the Pho Ga. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the Bun Thit Nuong cold noodles upon learning from Ha Chi Lhan that the noodles they used were imported.

Except for the meat and some spices that can easily be bought from the public market, all their ingredients are imported from Vietnam.

The food junkie in me couldn’t help but also order Banh Mi Thit Heo, bread with pork and veggies inside. Bahn Mi is all kinds of bread to the Vietnamese; bahn is bread and mi is wheat. Popular to them is the baguette or French bread.

So, if you’re in an authentic Vietnamese dining place, and you ask to be given Bahn Mi, and the food attendant asks you next what kind you would like to have, then you’ll know they can give it to you with different fillings. Pulled pork, fried or grilled chicken, barbecued pork, beef, and yes, even crazy tuna spread.

After our good and light meal, we couldn’t leave as there were still good stories to tell and laugh about. So, one of us decided to try Pho 88’s two ice coffee blends — Cafe Sua that uses the traditional French coffee drip, and Cafe Sai Gon.

Both blends use coarsely ground dark roast coffee, and they’re so good!

Traditional French coffee drip.

My Cafe Sai Gon, or light coffee, that’s so good!

Ice on a small bowl & the coffee drip.

Cafe Sua and Cafe Sai Gon.

So, what sets apart Vietnamese cuisine from the rest of the others in Asia? For me, I think its really the amalgamation of spices, colors, love and passion of cooking, fresh ingredients, and the minimal employment of oil.

Isn’t it that Vietnamese food is considered one of the healthiest in the planet?

We went to Pho 88 at past 12 noon, and left around 3 p.m. because Wednesday is WOW date for all of us. WOW meaning Women of Wednesday.

I’m going back there for my Sriracha sauce.

Pho 88 is okay with reservation. Call them at 09271521706 and 09279378729.